DETERMINATION OF THE EFFECT OF AGRICULTURAL WASTES ALTERNATIVE TO PEAT IN BIOBED

Abstract

Biological system, named as biobed, is used for eliminating point source pesticide contamination during filling and cleaning of spraying equipment. In original biobed used in some European countries, biomixture contains straw (50%), soil (25%) and peat (25%). In this study, agricultural wastes (corn, peanut and cotton) was used in biomixture instead of peat due to high cost and difficulty in obtaining it in Turkey. Agricultural wastes and their ratios were used for determination of absorption and degradation of acetamiprid active ingredient in this study. Results from biomixtures of agricultural wastes and their ratios were compared to original biobed according to 50% and 90% disappearance time in biomixtures of acetamiprid. The agricultural wastes should be 50% as an alternative to peat. The most important conclusion which can be derived from this study is that agricultural wastes (50%) such as wheat straw, corn stalk, corn cob, cotton straw and peanut rind can be used instead of peat (25%) in biomixture. It can be derived from this study that the agricultural wastes should be used at a ratio of 50% instead of peat, which is 25% in original biobed.